Assessing the Value of a Day at the Beach

Who says scholarly work has to be boring? A new $800,000 study has researchers out in the sun and sand to quantify the value of a day at the beach.

As summer approaches, a team of economists, scientists and environmentalists has begun examining how people use beaches in Orange and Los Angeles counties and what the experience is worth to them in dollars and cents.

“We want to paint a picture of the contributions of beaches to the Southern California economy and also of the economic value of enjoyment that California residents get from the beaches,” said Michael Hanemann, a professor of economics at UC Berkeley who is heading the study.

Although the subject may be lighthearted, the study results will have important uses, researchers say. The daily value of each beach, determined by such factors as scenic views and parking spaces, will be multiplied by the number of people who use it on a given day to measure economic benefits to a city or set fines for polluters.

“The bottom line is that there is an economic benefit associated with the use and enjoyment of our beaches,” said Linwood Pendleton, an assistant professor of economics at USC who is also participating in the study. “When our beaches are empty, many businesses suffer, and our quality of life can be adversely affected as well.”

The two-year study is supported by state and federal grants, the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project and nonprofit organizations.